After hours of driving back from a conference, fumbling with her keys while trying to balance her shoulder bag and a stack of folders was the final and most annoying thing holding Joohyun back from a nice, warm bath and a very large glass of red wine. The fashion designer huffed in annoyance before finally unlocking her front door and dragging herself and her belongings in from the hallway. She kicked off her heels and threw her bag and folders onto her kitchen table before pulling her suitcase into her bedroom at the far end of the hallway.

The quiet of the apartment signaled her two roommates, Seungwan and Sooyoung, were probably out with their friends, which made sense for a Saturday night. Joohyun smiled as she realized how welcome and peaceful the silence was and headed towards the bathroom to draw herself a bath.

As she walked out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen, the cellphone in her discarded bag started buzzing. Not wanting to give up her quiet night just yet, Joohyun poured herself some wine, ignoring the call and hoping whoever it was would simply leave a voicemail or a text so she could deal with it later.

She took a sip of the newly opened Merlot and her phone rang again. Joohyun prayed it wasn’t her boss calling about some project that “had to get done immediately.”

Joohyun smiled when Seungwan’s name flashed on her phone’s screen and answered the call with a quiet, “Hello?”

“Yah, unnie?” Seungwan nearly shouted in the older girl’s ear. Joohyun pulled her phone slightly away from her head as she heard laughter and loud music in the background. “Are you back from your trip yet?”

Joohyun walked back to the bathroom, almost forgetting about and stopping the running water in the tub and the bath she so desperately wanted. “Yes, Seungwan,” she replied. “I literally just walked in the door five minutes ago and was going to relax, maybe take a bath. I’m so tired. That conference wore me out.” She wasn’t lying: the conference was four days of too many people blabbering on about this type of fabric for that price from this country. It wasn’t exactly a relaxing getaway from the office.

“Is that Joohyun-unnie?” she heard her other roommate Sooyoung yell on the other end.

“Joohyun-unnie?” Sounded like Yerim was with them as well. Joohyun sighed as she knew exactly what they were going to ask her next.

“No, I don’t want to go out with you girls,” she stated calmly before the younger and probably not entirely sober girls could ask.

“Aww, unnie, come on! It’s Saturday night,” Seungwan whined at her. “None of us have work tomorrow.”

Joohyun closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance before taking a deep breath. “No, Seungwan, I’m tired and I want a nice, peaceful night in before I go back to work on Monday.” She heard some mumbling from the other end before hearing Sooyoung and Yerim shout, “No jam!” in the background. The older couldn’t help but release another sigh.

“Just come out for an hour,” Seungwan tried to convince Joohyun.

“No,” she responded bluntly.

“Please, unnie?”

“No.” She could feel herself giving in.

“Just one drink.”

No response.

“I’ll buy!” she heard Yerim shout.

Joohyun sighed again. “Fine. One hour. One drink.”

“Yes!” Seungwan cheered. Joohyun rolled her eyes as she heard a high five, probably from Sooyoung and Yerim.

“I mean it Seungwan. Only one. Are you girls at our usual spot?” Joohyun walked into her bedroom and over to her closet to find a suitable outfit that wasn’t her current black slacks and blazer.

“You know us so well, unnie. We’ll see you here in a few. Text me when you get here.” They said their goodbyes before they hung up and Joohyun grabbed an outfit for the night. She settled on a white shirt and ripped, faded jeans with a black, leather jacket and some gray sneakers. She threw her hair up in a ponytail before walking back through her apartment, grabbing her keys and wallet, and heading outside to grab a cab to the club.

*

Joohyun sent a quick text to Seungwan before handing some bills to the driver and exiting the cab. As she headed in the entrance of the familiar club, music and lights pulsed around her as the smell of alcohol and sweat hit her like a wall. Her eyes scanned over the tables and dance floor before a bartender she knew noticed her and waved to get her attention. Joohyun smiled back at him before he pointed towards the other side of the dance floor where she noticed a table of goofy and familiar girls laughing with one another. She waved back at him and mouthed a quick thank you before heading to join her friends.

Bodies pressed all around her as she wove in and out of the strangers around her. When she finally reached her destination she placed on hand on Seungwan’s shoulder to signal her arrival.

“Unnie, you’re finally here!” Seungwan shouted as she pulled the older woman into a hug. “I hope you aren’t mad that we dragged you out here.”

“No, it’s alright. I’d never pass up a chance to spend a wonderful night with my girls. “Joohyun smiled at Seungwan before turning to the two girls on the other side of the table. “Yah, Sooyoung! Yerim! Where’s my drink?” 

Sooyoung scoffed at the older woman as she came around the table to draw her in for a hug. “What do you mean, ‘Sooyoung’? I believe Yerim said she would buy you a drink.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Joohyun-unnie,” Yerim said to her friend. “I’ve got a round of Jack Fire for everyone and a special margarita coming for you.” She smirked as the bartender arrived with their drinks.

“Yerim-ah, I said one drink!” Joohyun whined at the maknae, eyeing the newly arrived tray of drinks.

“But unnie, I already paid for them!” Yerim whined right back. Seungwan began handing shot glasses to each girl, forcing Joohyun to at least hold one.

“Kim Yerim, did you forget how to count?” Joohyun teased. “There are five shots. Or are you trying to get me drunk?” She shuddered at the thought of being drunk with only these children to take care of her.

Yerim stuck her tongue out at Joohyun before turning to a woman Joohyun hadn’t noticed nor recognized standing a little ways off from he group. “Joohyun-unnie, this is Seulgi-unnie. I met her when I spent the summer abroad in New York last year. She grew up there and still lives there but she’s visiting her parents who moved back to Korea a few years ago. Seulgi-unnie, this is Sooyoung’s roommate and our mom, Joohyun-unnie.”

Seulgi turned to Joohyun and smiled politely at the older woman before offering a polite, “Hello.”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” Joohyun smiled back at Seulgi before glaring at a cackling Sooyoung and Yerim.

“Well, how about those shots?” Seungwan interjected before any fighting started. “To what are we toasting?”

“To my wonderful girlfriend!” Sooyoung shouted, placing a quick kiss on Yerim’s cheek, causing the youngest to blush.

“God, no,” Joohyun scoffed.

“How about to a Saturday night with friends?” Seungwan offered, continuing as acting peacekeeper.

“To a Saturday night with friends,” the five girls cheered before clinking glasses and throwing back the shot. Joohyun’s face twisted as the burning sensation from the alcohol traveled down and her eyes threatened tears. All the while, she was unaware of Seulgi’s slightly lingering gaze.

“Alright, let’s dance!” Yerim grabbed Sooyoung’s hand and lead her girlfriend to the dance floor, not waiting to see if any of the other girls were following her.

“Unnie, do you want to dance with us?” Seungwan asked Joohyun. The older woman shook her head and said that she would just watch for now, leaving herself with only the newly met Seulgi and her margarita.

“So,” Joohyun started, “how long have you been in Korea?”

Seulgi took this as an invitation to scoot a couple of seats over to be closer to Joohyun before responding over the loud, pulsing music. “I got here yesterday. I spent some time with my parents before Yerim texted me telling me they were going out tonight. I thought I’d join her and have a little bit of fun while I’m here.”

Joohyun nodded as her eyes scanned the club scene around her, a nervous habit of hers. Seulgi’s eyes never left Joohyun as she simply watched the older girl. She cleared before continuing. “So, how do you know Yerim again?”

“Sooyoung and I work together and are roommates so I know Yerim through her,” Joohyun responded simply. Her eyes now wandered to the drink in front of her. She fidgeted with the straw in her margarita as she felt Seulgi’s gaze on her. Joohyun took a sip of her drink before glancing at Seulgi and then back down at her suddenly very interesting margarita. 

“So you’re in fashion with Sooyoung?” Seulgi questioned.

“Yes, I help with the distribution of new products,” was Joohyun’s simple response. She noticed Seulgi waiting for more information before nodding simply and looking out at the dance floor when Joohyun stayed quiet.

But Seulgi wasn’t giving up just yet. “Do you want to dance? Your friends are out there and  they look like they’re having a good time.”

The older woman took another, this time long, sip of her drink before shaking her head. “No, thanks, but you can if you want. Don’t let me keep you.” She smiled encouragingly at Seulgi.

Seulgi observed her silently before mustering up the courage to ask, “Are you always like this?”

Sighing, Joohyun fidgeted once again before turning to Seulgi and offering another smile, this one apologetic. “I’m sorry, Seulgi. I got home from a business trip literally minutes before Seungwan invited me out here. Maybe coming out tonight was a bad decision. I wanted to enjoy a night out with the girls but I’m no fun tonight.” Before Seulgi could say anything in response, Joohyun quickly finished